POLICE OFFICER

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1932, Page 6

POLICE OFFICER

RETIRES FROM THE FORCE

(Per Press Association — Copyright.)

AUCKLAND, November 21

'One of the most efficient and popular Inembers of the New Zealand Police Force, Sergeant A. E. Rowell, .at present in charge, of the Otahuhu district, retires on superannuation in February, after forty years’ sendee. He wjj!l cease duty next Monday, on which day he commences a period cf three; months’ leave on full pay. A native of Cornwall', Sergeant Rowell joined the N&vt! Zealand Permanent Artillery at AYellingtgn and had to serve ia little over ,a,.year in this force l before he was permitted to join the New Zealand police. Transferred from Wellington to the military fort at Rina Island, in Lyttleton Harbour, he joined the police force in Christchir ?h. For six years there he did bleat duty and wi:\s then given charge of the Linwocd station, where he served four 'years. He was then transferred to Hampden, Otago, remaining there until 1908, when lib was sent to Auckland and promt led to the rank which he e-till holds. He came from Wellington to Auckland on the first- train which traversed the Main Trunk line.

Sergeant Rowc'll was asv-cinted with many interesting cases, including the famous “horse fiend” outrages in Christchurch from 1895 to 1898, when over 60 horses were mysteriously done to death by a- maniac who use! a peculiar two-pointed dagger. Sergeant Rowell took a prominent .part in the investigations’. “Although the man responsible was never caught, we knew who it Was, as the .-rimes suddenly stopped when a- certain inian in Christchurch died,” he said.